DALLAS – The Illinois State Redbirds got a home run from Collin Braithwaite, but struggled against the Bradley Braves, falling in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament first round by a 14-2 final score.
The Redbirds will return to action tomorrow afternoon in the 12:30 p.m. game, and will face off against the loser of Valparaiso and Dallas Baptist.
Jake McCaw went 2-for-3 for Illinois State, while Braithwaite and Joe Aeilts had the team's other two hits in the contest. Braithwaite and Aeilts drove in a run each, as Braithwaite and Jordan Libman each scored once.
After being retired in order in the top of the first inning, the Redbirds gave up four runs in the bottom half of the first. Bradley scored two runs in the third and another in the fourth to lead 7-0.
The Redbirds did not get their first hit in the game until the top of the fifth inning when Braithwaite took a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left field, ending the perfect game and shutout bid with one swing of the bat. After a pair of outs, McCaw singled up the middle, and Bryce Grimm walked to put a runner in scoring position, but could not squeeze a run across.
Following the Redbird run, the Braves scored six times in the bottom of the fifth inning, and another in the bottom of the sixth to lead 14-1.
Illinois State rallied in the top of the seventh, as the first three batters all reached base, as Libman walked, and scored a batter later on an Aeilts double into left field. McCaw singled to right field to put runners on the corners; however, a fly-out, foul-out, and ground-out ended the threat, and the game.
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